Regional unis must not be disadvantaged by changes to clinical placement funding

The Regional Universities Network (RUN) urges the Government to ensure that the decision to cease the Clinical Training Fund and to expand the Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Programme to include nursing and allied health placements, as outlined in the recent Mid-Year Economic Fiscal Outlook, will not disadvantage regional universities or their communities.

The Chair of RUN, Professor Jan Thomas, said that it was vital that regional universities continued to receive adequate funding to place nursing and allied health students with regional health providers.

“The newly expanded Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Programme must provide more funding for clinical placements in regional Australia for nursing and allied health students. The fund needs to recognise that most placements will be with regional, public health providers,” Professor Thomas said.

“RUN universities typically received around a $1 million or more per institution from the old Clinical Training Fund. To ensure that regional Australia has the health workforce it needs in the future, it is vital that none of our universities are disadvantaged by the changes to funding. Most students who study at regional universities stay and work in regional Australia and provide vital services to our communities.

“I will be writing to the Minister for Rural Health, Senator the Hon Fiona Nash, seeking a meeting to obtain further detail about the changes and discuss how they may impact RUN universities and our regions.

“I understand that the Government will be consulting on the arrangements for the expanded Rural Health Multidisciplinary Training Programme in the new year,” Professor Thomas said.

“We look forward to participating in these discussions.”

Contact: Dr Caroline Perkins

Executive Director, Regional Universities Network, 0408 482 736

Find out more about the Regional Universities Network at www.run.edu.au Follow us on: Twitter: @RegUniNet Facebook: www.facebook.com/RegionalUniversitiesNetwork